Marianne's Response

Hybrid Tea Rose

I’ve had a hard bred tea rose for about 4 to 5 years. Last year I had new growth at the bottom but it never had blooms. This year I noticed the bush was going crazy with new blooms then I noticed the roses in those stems are not only a different color but different variety. Is this normal for a hybrid?

Posted by Denise Roddey on May 12, 2022

Marianne's Response

No this is not "normal" but it is common. Your hybrid tea rose has been taken over by the hardy root stock that was used when it was grafted. You can try pulling every one of these new branches or suckers off or cutting them very close to the main stem. If you don't remove them they will take over and crowd out the original rose. Sometimes the most practical answer is to dig up and get rid of this hostile take over of a wild rose and start with a new plant. Then watch for any new growth from low on any rose that could be coming from below the graft union of the rose at the base of the plant. It helps to mulch the rose plant in the future to keep the bump or graft union below the mulch. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti